Ex-Ravens linebacker Zach Orr visiting Texans

Published 12:19 pm, Monday, July 24, 2017

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BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 18: Inside linebacker Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after making an interception in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on December 18, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

BALTIMORE, MD - DECEMBER 18: Inside linebacker Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens reacts after making an interception in the first quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on December

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 10: Inside linebacker Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens sacks quarterback Cody Kessler #6 of the Cleveland Browns in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 10, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. less

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 10: Inside linebacker Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens sacks quarterback Cody Kessler #6 of the Cleveland Browns in the first quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 10, 2016 in ... more

Photo: Rob Carr, Getty Images

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PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 25: Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on December 25, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 25: Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on December 25, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe

BALTIMORE, MD - OCTOBER 2: Inside linebacker Zach Orr #54 of the Baltimore Ravens defends during the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the Oakland Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium on October 2, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Raiders defeated the Ravens 28-27. (Photo by Larry French/Getty Images)

Former Baltimore Ravens linebacker Zach Orr is visiting the Texans on Monday, according to NFL sources not authorized to speak publicly.

A second-team All-Pro selection who led the Ravens last season with 132 tackles and intercepted three passes, Orr is meeting with multiple NFL teams.

The veteran free agent is seeking to relaunch his NFL career after originally deciding to retire in January due to a congenital condition discovered by Ravens team doctors that showed a vertebrae at the top of his neck wasn't completely formed. The birth defect was discovered when Orr sustained a pair of herniated disks in his neck late last season.

Orr, 25, has consulted with multiple spine specialists after initially being advised by Ravens team doctors that it wasn't safe for him to play football anymore.

Since that diagnosis, though, Orr has sought second opinions and says he has received favorable medical information that his risk of a serious injury isn't higher than other players.

Orr had a breakthrough season last year as he started all but the final game after getting hurt and being placed on injured reserve. When healthy, the 6-foot, 225-pounder is an athletic, aggressive presence as a run-stopper and in pass coverage. He recorded one forced fumble and five passes defended last season.

In order for Orr to play football again, though, he would have to pass a physical. A scan revealed last season that Orr's first cervical vertebrae at the top of his spine didn't fully form.

"I had my mind made up," Orr said during an NFL Network interview earlier this summer. "I was like man, the doctors told me I was done. This is a serious issue, so I'm going to leave it alone. But I just kept hearing that from multiple people and some were telling me to just go check out and seek out some more opinions and things like that and come to find out my condition, it is rare - .01 percent of the people have what I have.

"But there's no actual evidence or facts that I'm at a higher risk than any other player. And it's actually been documented that a college player who had the exact same thing that I have that returned to play with no problems."